Botswana Amass Medals At International Karate Championships

Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday July 31, 2017 16:02

The day one medals included two gold, four silver and three bronze for the eighth World Hayashi-ha Karate and Kobudo Championships held on July 29 and 30, 2017. Ofentse Bakwadi led the gold for Botswana as he was crowned the international champion in the senior category, while the boys (14 to 15 years category) kata team also proved to be the world’s best.

The kata team that clinched the gold was made up of Mohammed Hussain,  Motlhomi Makepe and Kagiso Mophuting. The Botswana senior men’s kata team was also crowned world’s number two as the team, comprising gold medallist, Bakwadi, Phillipe Revaka, and Tshepo Baumake, clinched silver at the Barcelona event.

In the fighting category, Botswana’s 14 to 15 years category finished at number two at the international event with Ahmedi Hussain, Hussain, Makepe, and Mophuting making up the team. Ahmedi would also clinch silver in the 12 to 13 years boys category, with Mophuting also clinching silver in the 14 to 15 years (79kg) category.

Botswana also won bronze in the team kumite for boys 10 to 11 years category, where Motswana Kgosi, Atang Mochuakgomo, and Leruo Champane shone. After winning silver in the men’s kata team, Revaka added the bronze medal as he finished third in the individual kata in the boys 16 to 17 years category.

Makepe would also clinched bronze in the 52kg category of the boys 14 to 15 years. The competitions continued into Sunday with more medal hauls for team Botswana expected.